Cheap Drones for 2018: 21 Options Under $200

In this thorough buyer’s guide, we’ll take a look at some of the best cheap drones for sale in 2018. We’ll break down the drones listed here by price and features to help you find a solid cheap entry-level drone.

Who says that you need to have a ton of money in order to get a drone? The truth is that with more and more new companies introducing their drones and UAVs into the market every day, there are a ton of affordable options out there, regardless of your budget.

In fact, there are drones and quadcopters that can be had for under $20. Are they going to deliver you a high-end flying experience? No.

Are they going to allow you to get your feet wet and give you a chance to sharpen your flying skills? Absolutely.

In this guide I am going to take a look at a wide array of affordable drones, quadcopters, and UAVs. I’ve broken your options down by price and listed the best drones between $100-$200, the best drones between $50-$100, and the best drones under $50.

This list is not complete by any means. As I mentioned above, there are new options being introduced into the market on a daily basis. However, I will update this list regularly to keep up with current prices and the newest products. If you’re looking for more high-end options, check out our guide on the best drones currently available.

Ultimately, the goal is to provide you with a list of options you have under $200 and to give you an idea of what each of those options brings to the table.

The Best Drones Under $200

In the $100-$200 price range you have quite a few options that will deliver a mid-range flying experience. There are even options in this price range that can accommodate a GoPro.

And, one option—the Syma X8G—even comes with a 1080p/8-megapixel camera.

That’s pretty incredibly given the price. Although, it should be noted that it does not come with a gimbal and so the video will still appear pretty shaky.

But the main point is that in this price range you really move up from the entry-level quads that are listed below $100 and you move into a range where you can get something that you really enjoy flying.

The price has recently come down quite a bit on the Parrot AR Drone 2.0, easily making it one of the best options under $200. It comes with a 720p camera, a max flight time of 20 minutes, and a max distance of right about 200 feet. And, while the fact that this drone is controlled by your smart phone is a pretty convenient feature, if you’re looking to do some more advanced flying, you might want to go with a model that has a dedicated controller.

Parrot AR Drone 2.0

The Parrot AR Drone 2.0 is quite easily one of the most feature packed drones in the under $200 price range. For the price, you really won’t find a drone in this price range that has the feature set that the AR 2.0 has, nor will you find a more reliable flier.

It comes with a 720p camera that will allow you to take decent video of your flights (although with no gimbal system, the video won’t be too stable) and it has a max flight time of 20 minutes—which is pretty good for this price range.

It also can travel a max distance of 200 feet. Which, while not great in comparison with some of the higher-end options on the market, is right on course for the under $200 category.

Another cool feature with the Parrot AR Drone 2.0, is that you actually use your smartphone to control it. That means you don’t have to go out and get a fancy controller.

On the flip-side, though, controlling a drone through your phone is a bit more limited than if you had your own dedicated controller. So, if you are looking to do some more advanced flying, you might want to look at other options.

And, ultimately, that will be the biggest determining factor in whether or not the Parrot AR Drone 2.0 is right for you.

If you don’t want to build your own FPV racing drone, then something like the Eachine Racer 250 will get your feet in the door. It comes with a 720p camera that will allow you to do FPV flights and it has a max flight time of ~14 minutes. Ultimately, while building your own racing drone might be the ideal way to go, the Racer 250 is one of the better pre-built racing drones under $200.

Eachine Racer 250

With the rise in interest in consumer drones, a new use for the technology among hobbyists has emerged: racing.

Racing a drone is a much different experience than just taking one out for a casual flight and recording the footage of the flight. Like in any other racing scenario, speed is important.

And, in drone racing, another equally important aspect is the ability to view the flight from a first-person view. The reason is that if you are trying to control your drone on the race track with a direct line of sight, it is much more difficult to maneuver. However, with a first person view, you can handle obstacles and turns in a more realistic manner.

While a lot of racers build their own racing drones, and while that is probably the best bet for anyone who is serious about racing, there are a few pre-built models that will let you get your feet in the door.

One such model is the Eachine Racer 250. It comes with a 720p camera, is FPV ready, and can hit a max flight time of 14 minutes.

All-in-all, if you’re looking to get into racing but you’re not ready to build your own drone, then this is a good option to start.

The UDI U28-1 FPV is a decent quadcopter for anyone who is looking for a relatively inexpensive drone that can do FPV flying. It’s also light enough to where it doesn’t need to be registered with the FAA, which is also a nice bonus.

The Ionic Stratus is a pretty solid option if you want an affordable quadcopter that can hold a GoPro camera. There’s no gimbal system, but the rubberized mount should help keep your video fairly stabilized.

Ionic Stratus

The Ionic Stratus is a really solid budget-friendly quadcopter that can hold a GoPro. No, it won’t deliver the high-end experience of a 3DR Solo or a DJI Phantom 3, but you also won’t have to spend an arm and a leg on the Stratus either.

Perhaps the coolest feature of the Stratus, as I already mentioned, is for well under $200 it can carry a GoPro camera. This makes it a great option for anyone who already owns a GoPro and who wants to get a decent budget-friendly quadcopter to stick it on.

The Stratus doesn’t have any option for a camera gimbal and so you shouldn’t expect perfectly stable video, but it does come with a rubberized mount with should help a little bit.

Ultimately, you can do a lot worse in this price range and I’d recommend the Stratus for anyone who has a moderate budget and who is looking for something a little above the entry-level drones available.

It’s no surprise that the Syma X8G owns this price range, as they are used to providing the best drone in the sub $100 price range as well. Ultimately, though, with an 8MP camera that can film in 1080p, the X8G is at the forefront of the under $200 class.

Syma X8G

While top dogs like DJI, 3DR, Yuneec, and Parrot push the boundaries of drone technology further, perhaps one quadcopter manufacturer is doing something just as important—if not more so—than those three…

And, that is to make quadcopter/drones affordable to the masses. Syma has staked out a major claim on the sub $200 price range for quadcopters and drones… and for good reason, too.

Syma, unlike other manufacturers who produce quadcopters and drones in this price range, has somehow been able to put some great cameras on such affordable machines.

The X8G for example has a camera that is capable of taking 8-megapixel stills and recording at 1080p at 30 FPS (and 720p at 60 FPS). And, that comes on a quadcopter that costs around $150.

Is the camera high-end quality? Not quite… and it doesn’t come with a gimbal to stabilize video, but the 8-megapixel/1080p camera trumps anything else in this price range by a long shot. And, you can replace the camera it comes with with a GoPro as well…

Ultimately, if you’re looking for a solid quadcopter that has a decent camera setup, the Syma X*G is probably the best you will do for under $200.

The Best Drones Under $100

If you have a little bit more to spend and you are looking for a quadcopter with a few more features than the sub-$50 quads listed below, then there are quite a few options for you to choose between in the $50-$100 price range.

In this price range you can expect capable fliers that have low-quality to decent-quality cameras. The reality, though, is that without a gimbal system or the ability to digitally stabilize video, no video taken by a drone is going to come out looking great.

Still, though, being able to watch your flight back on a video is an exciting prospect for first-time buyers and I would never discourage anyone from pursuing that. So, if you are looking for a quadcopter with a camera on it, then you will definitely find a few options in this price range.

The UDI U818A HD+ is one of the better budget-oriented quadcopters on the market. It comes equipped with a 720p/2-megapixel camera, an extra battery, and a return to home function. And, because it weighs under 0.55lbs, you won’t have to register it with the FAA. You can also get essentially the same drone in the non HD+ model for less… but it doesn’t come with the extra battery, the 720p camera, or the return to home function.

UDI U818A HD+

UDI has a few different offerings of the U818A. There’s the U818A, the U818A-1, and the UDI U818A HD+. The HD+ model comes with an extra battery, a return to home feature, and a 720p/2-megapixel camera.

All of this add up to making the U818A HD+ one of the better options for anyone looking for an entry-level drone that they can use to get into flying quadcopters and UAVs.

It should be noted that, while the camera will record in 720p, it won’t deliver the high-quality video that a high-end drone will… not just because of the 720p resolution (which is decent), but because there is no camera gimbal and, therefore, the video won’t be very stable.

Another great feature of the UDI U818A HD+ (and same goes for the other U818A models) is the fact that, because it ways under 0.55lbs, it does not need to be registered with the FAA.

In the end, the U818A HD+ is a great starter drone and it really sits somewhere between an entry-level quadcopter and a mid-range quadcopter.

The Holy Stone X400C is an interesting option if you don’t put as much stock into the camera. Technically speaking, most of the drones in this price range come with great cameras. What the X400C does bring to the table, though, is a capable flier that can perform flips, and let you fly via FPV with an app on your smartphone.

Holy Stone X400C

Holy Stone’s X400C another decent option in the $100-$200 range. It doesn’t have the camera that the Syma X8G has, but it does have some other pretty important features…

For starters, the X400C will let you fly in FPV mode, which can be setup with an app on your smart phone. The quadcopter is also a very solid flier and will do flips at the click of a button.

The X400C comes with a return-to-home button which is an important throw-in for beginning fliers who may or may not have the best grasp on how to control their quadcopter.

And, another cool feature of the X400C that makes it appealing to beginners is the fact that it has “headless” mode, which basically means that regardless of which direction the quadcopter is pointing, the controls will remain the same.

Ultimately, where the Holy Stone X400C lacks in the camera department, it makes up for with some really beginner-friendly flying features.

If FPV mode isn’t a big deal to you and you’d rather save a few bucks, then instead of the Holy Stone X400C you might want to take a look at the Holy Stone F181. The two are fairly similar in terms of flight capabilities and features, but the F181 does not have FPV mode. So, if your decision is between these two quadcopters, it will come down to how much you want FPV.

Holy Stone F181

We just took a look at Holy Stone’s X400C, which by all means is a decent quadcopter. And, one of its main selling points is the fact that it comes FPV-ready. If FPV isn’t your style, though, you could always save a few bucks and get the Holy Stone F181…

The F181, while featuring a slightly different body and design than the X400C, has a lot of the same features of the more expensive Holy Stone quadcopter.

For instance, they both have headless mode, they both can do flips at the click of a button, and they both have a return to home button.

While I couldn’t find, specifically, what the recording resolution was for the X400C, the F181 can record at 720p (and so I’m assuming the X400C can as well.) It also sports a 2-megapixel camera and because it weighs less that 0.55 lbs, it does not need to be registered with the FAA.

Overall, the F181 is a solid entry-level quadcopter that has a few cool features that should keep you entertained while you learn how to fly.

The LaTrax Alias is a capable flier, but it doesn’t come with a camera (although, LaTrax does sell one that can be added to the Alias), despite being the most expensive quadcopter in this price range. I’d probably look to other quadcopters in this price range if you want a camera. If not, then the Alias is a decent entry-level quad.

LaTrax Alias

While the LaTrax Alias may not be the best option in this price range (at least, in my opinion, anyways) it is still a very solid quadcopter.

It doesn’t come with a camera (although, LaTrax sells a 720p/12-megapixel add-on camera that is compatible with the Alias), but it is ready-to-fly, is light enough to not require registration, and is a pretty good flier.

And, since the Alias is fairly durable it can sustain some crashes… which is ideal for beginners who will likely see their fair share of crashes before they get the hang of how their quadcopter handles.

The biggest thing that the Alias has going for it is that it can sustain longer flight times (up to ~15 minutes) than other quadcopters in its class.

Ultimately, the Alias is a solid option in this price range, although, in my opinion, it’s not the best. It’s a little expensive for what it offers, especially seeing as how you don’t get a camera.

The Blade Nano QX is a mini quad that is solely built to be an entry-level drone. There is no camera on it, which may deter some away. But, seeing as how the camera experience isn’t ideal on any sub $200 drone, the Nano QX still is a viable option… especially if your main purpose for buying a quadcopter is to give you some practice before you move up to one of the top dogs on the market.

As mentioned above, Syma dominates the sub $200 market for quadcopters and drones. They have solid options in every price bracket below $200 and the Syma X8C Venture ranks well in the $75-$100 range. It has a 720p/2-megapixel camera, comes ready-to-fly out of the box, and is a very capable flier.

While the Dromida Ominus is a very capable flier and a great drone to practice your flying skills on, the fact that most other quadcopters in this price range have cameras (the Ominus does not have a camera) and fly just as well, makes it hard to recommend purchasing this quad over the others.

The Hole Stone F180C is a solid option for anyone looking for an entry-level quadcopter to start learning the ins and outs of flying drones. It comes with an extra battery, a charger than can charge both batteries at the same time, prop guards, and a 1280×720 camera. While the F180C doesn’t have any ground-breaking features, it has just about all of the features it should have in its price range.

Holy Stone F180C

The Holy Stone F180C is yet another solid mini quadcopter under $100. The F180C comes with a 1280×720 camera, and extra battery, and eight extra propellers.

The extra battery is a nice throw-in, as it will allow you to fly the F180C for longer sessions.

It also comes with prop guards and eight extra props so that you can protect your props and, in the event that they do get damaged, you have plenty of backups on hand.

The quad also comes with a charge that can charge both batteries at the same time. In total it takes a little over 40 minutes to charge the batter.

Ultimately, if you’re looking for a great entry-level quadcopter that you can practice your flying skills on and you don’t want to spend over $100, then add the Holy Stone F180C to your list of options to consider.

There’s two different versions of the UDI U818A. There’s the standard version and then there’s the UDI U818A HD+—which was listed above. Both are identical quads, but where the UDI U818A HD+ has the return to home function and an extra battery, the standard version does not. The standard U818A is quite a bit cheaper, though, and is thus a better option for anyone who isn’t looking to break the bank.

UDI U818A

The UDI U818A is one of the more popular quadcopters in this price range. It’s built on prop guards give it a unique style that makes it distinct from the other drones in this price range.

While the HD+ version of the U818A (see above) has a few extra features, the standard U818A is still essentially the same drone in terms of how it flies.

The camera on the U818A is only able to shoot video at 480p, which is not too inspiring. If that’s a deal-breaker, there are quite a few other drones above or below the U818A that have a 720p camera.

Although, since none of the drones in this price range have a legitimate gimbal, or software to digitally stabilize the recorded video, there really isn’t a good option if your main concern is producing high quality videos.

Still, though, the U818A stacks up similarly to other quads in this price range and perhaps even exceeds them due to the fact that it is one of the better fliers under $200.

Ultimately, at just over $100, the U818A is a perfect entry-level drone that will allow you to get your quad-flying feet wet before you are ready to move onto something bigger and better.

The Best Drones UNDER $50

If you’re a beginner and you don’t want to spend a ton of money on your first quadcopter/drone, then fret not… you still have quite a few options to choose between!

No, you aren’t going to get a high-end experience out of a sub-$50 drone. However, if you’re just starting out and wanting to learn the ropes of flying, you’re better off foregoing the pleasure of flying a high-end drone and choosing a cheap quadcopter that you can hone your flying skills with.

In truth, the expensive and big-name drones on the market are incredibly easy to fly (at least in comparison to some of these cheaper quadcopters), but that doesn’t mean that you can’t crash them, or cause serious problems.

In fact, if you’re just starting out it is inevitable that you will crash at least a couple of times. So, why not get all your crashes out on a more affordable and expendable quadcopter?

If you’re getting bored of your traditional quadcopters, maybe it’s time to try out a hexacopter. And, the good thing about the UTO Drone U960 is that for anyone who does want to fly their own hexacopter, the U960 comes in under $100 and, as such, is fairly affordable. Overall, the U960 is a solid drone that you won’t have to register and that will allow you to fly in FPV mode.

UTO Drone U960

One of the few hexacopters on the market, the UTO Drone U960 offers beginners and experts a slightly different type of drone.

And, you won’t have to pay an arm and a leg to get the hexacopter-designed drone. At a little under $100, the U960 is easily the most affordable hexacopter currently on the market.

With an HD camera and the ability to fly in FPV mode, it definitely has enough features to keep you entertained. You also won’t have to register it with the FAA as it comes in just under the minimum weight requirement of 0.55lbs.

Ultimately, if you’re tired of your quadcopter and you want to play around with a hexacopter without spending a ton of money, you’ll definitely want to check out the UTO Drone U960.

While the ability to fly in FPV mode may make the Syma X5SW Explorers2 stand out in the under $100 market for drones, the reality is that the FPV mode isn’t very good thanks to a significant delay. And, as such, you’d be better off spending your money on the less expensive Syma X5C Explorers.

Syma X5SW Explorers2

Another Syma quadcopter, another solid option for beginners looking for an entry-level drone. The Syma X5SW Explorers2 provides one different features in comparison to its popular brother, the Syma X5C Explorers quadcopter.

And, that difference is that the X5SW will allow you to fly in FPV mode.

Unfortunately, though, the X5SW has a little bit weaker camera than the X5C and it costs a little more as well. So, basically you’re paying a premium for the ability to fly in FPV mode.

And, the bad part is that the FPV mode on this quad is so delayed that it really isn’t something to write home about.

So, in my opinion, rather than choosing this quadcopter, you should save a little bit of money and go with the better all-around option, the Syma X5C Explorers.

The Syma X5C is probably the top-selling quadcopter currently on the market. And, for good reason, too… With over 3,500 mostly-positive reviews on Amazon, a solid camera (at least for an affordable drone), and an affordable price, the Syma X5C is probably your best bet if you’re looking for an entry-level drone.

Syma X5C

While we have listed multiple Syma quadcopters on this list, perhaps none are more popular than their X5C model.

If I had to make a guess, I would say that the Syma X5C is currently the highest-selling quadcopter on the market. It currently has over 3,500 reviews on Amazon and the next closest is the UDI U8181A at about 3,200.

The Syma is also currently priced at ~$50, which makes it the perfect entry-level quadcopter for beginners to learn on.

It comes with a pretty awesome camera (for this price, anyways) that can record at 720p and can take 2-megapixel stills. And, it weighs under 0.55lbs, so you do not have to register it with the FAA.

Ultimately, if you’re looking for the perfect price-to-performance entry-level quadcopter, it would be hard to look past the Syma X5C.

Hubsan X4 H107L

Another good little entry-level drone is the Hubsan X4 H107L. It doesn’t have a camera but it comes in at under $40 and it is a very capable flier.

Like all of the rest of the drones and quadcopters on this list the H107L comes ready-to-fly out of the box and it also comes with a 4 channel 2.4Ghz controller.

It also comes with prop guards and extra props in case you take a hard crash with the quad (which you most likely will if you are a beginner.)

While the H107L doesn’t have a camera, it’s hard to knock it too much for that reason simply because of its price.

In the end, the H107L is designed to be a flying-only entry-level quadcopter… and really, an entry-level drone should be about the flying part anyways, seeing as how the cameras on most sub-$200 drones just aren’t that good.

Add the Hubsan H111 X4 to the long list of mini entry-level quadcopters. While the Hubsan H111 X4 is a decent option to learn on, it serves more of as a fun little toy. And, ultimately, it would be best to get something a little bit bigger to train with (like a Syma X5C, LaTrax Alias, or UDI U818A.)

Another decent mini quadcopter is the UDI RC U839. Next to Syma, UDI is the next most recognized name in entry-level quadcopters and as such the U839 lives up to the quality that UDI has been known to bring (at least, in relation to the cost you pay for their quads.) Ultimately, if you’re looking for a cheap entry-level flier to get some practice in, you have a ton of options to choose between and the U839 is one of those worth considering…

The Cheerson CX-10 is the cheapest quadcopter on this list. And, while it’s not the greatest option, if you just want a toy that you can play around with and sharpen your flying skills with, this will serve that purpose.

HAVE QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS?

There are so many quadcopters, hexacopters, drones, and UAVs to choose between in the under $200 price range that it was quite the chore putting this list together. And, to make things even crazier, more and more new quadcopters and UAVs from new manufacturers are hitting the market everyday.

In reality, though, if you look at these options by price range, you’ll find that, for the most part, similarly-priced quadcopters all have similar features and specifications. So, while it might be stressful trying to discern between five different options in the $125-$150 price range, the reality is that they all virtually do the same thing.

The only difference is in the support you will receive and, as such, it’s always a good idea to go with the more established brand, or with the brand that is US-based.

Ultimately, though, there are a ton of affordable drones and quadcopters to choose between on this list. And, if you’re unsure of whether or not you should buy a drone, check out our post on the 20 Reasons Why You Should Buy A Drone.

And, please, if you have any questions or comments about your buying decision, don’t hesitate to post them!